Hi all,
sorry for the off topic post, but I'm looking for some information about handguns. More precisely, about how the caliber of bullet effects the "feel" of a gun.

From what I have gathered the popularly available bullets are from smallest to largest: 9mm, 10mm, .357, .38, .40, .45

Here's the story, I am (and have been for quite some time) interested in purchasing a handgun. I have no intentions of shooting anyone or carrying the gun around with me, nor do I have an overwhelming need to have a gun around for "home" or "personal" protection. I have just always been interested in guns and have a desire to learn how to shoot well.

This past weekend I went to the shooting range. My girlfriend has two brothers and a dad that are/were all Marines. Also the two brothers are cops in different counties near Richmond. Anyway, I borrowed a Sig Sauer (sp?) 9mm and a Glock .40 to go and shoot and see how they felt.

I liked the feel of both guns for different reasons. I had all but decided to go ahead and purchase a similar (but larger framed) Glock product in the same .40 caliber size. But when I went to the local gun store to see what they had available, I was basically talked out of the .40 I was told that the .40 has too much recoil or that the recoil feels too harsh. (Note: they did have a .40 available that I wanted, so they werent' just trying to sell me on what they had in stock.) They suggested the 9mm since at this point I'm mainly interested in target practice and stopping power isn't a major concern. But also mentioned that even a .45 would "feel" better than the .40 because the recoil is "different" and "slower".

I had picked the .40 because I figured that it was a solid middle of the road performer between the 9mm and the .45

Everyone keeps telling me that if I'm "only interested in target shooting" then just go with the 9mm because the bullets are cheaper. But if I want home security/personal protection then go with a larger caliber. Well, I'm sure the 9mm would do both just fine, but why purposely just buy a "lightweight caliber" gun when at some point (hopefully never) I may need a gun for personal protection or home security?

I guess I already know the answer, what I really need to do is get back to the shooting range and try out some more guns and just see which one really feels the best to me.

But I just thought I'd ask for some opinions here. Never helps to get some added input. Thanks in advance.

later,
chris

 

I have a Ruger 9 and I had a SW 40, The 40 does kick a little more than the 9 but not hugely so IMO.

If target shooting is your main goal Id go for the 9.

You might check out the fourms over at http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/index.php
for more opinions.

Happy Shooting
Andy G

 

I have a Glock 17 (9mm), and I love it. I use it for shooting practice and its great. Very little recoil and very controllable and accurate. Very lite and comfortable. My girlfriend even shoots it and she is very petite. It will stop an intruder if you use the right ammo too!

 

I personally carry a Glock 29 (10mm) as my concealed handgun. The .40 is a good all around bullet and is relatively cheap. There is a bit of recoil with a .40--but I personally do not think it is bad. A heavy 9mm (i.e., heavy handgun) has virtually no recoil, but the 9mm is not the best self-defense cartridge--not enough stopping power. My suggestion is to test shoot several handguns to determine if the recoil is too much for you.

If you want the most powerful of the cartridges you have listed, go with the 10mm.

Greg

 

I am not a gun expert by any means. I have the glock 22 (.40 cal). It does seem to kick more than the .45 glock or the 9mm glock.

I don't shoot it much, it is mainly for house protection. What I like about the Glock guns, is if you have a round chambered and you pull the trigger, it will fire. No fumbling around with safties on it during the night.

I decided on the glocks after shooting a few different makes. I knew the .45 was much to big for my hand. The .40 has a nice fit in my hand yet is still a large caliber gun and it has a high capacity clip.

In my limited shooting experience, I was able to shoot better with the 9mm than the .40 and better with the .45 than the .40. But, I still like my .40.

I hope this helps

 

Well if the main goal is target practice I would grab a 9mm its alot cheeper to shoot. Unless you go revolver then unless you get into speed loading you will never shoot as many rounds as you can in an auto.

And when its at home and ready for duty as protection simply keep it loaded with the correct rounds and it will produce almost as much stopping power as a 45. Of corse if you have kids or if kids or even some adults come over make sure its unloaded and locked away. And if you have kids MAKE SURE they know how to use it and know not to mess with it. The best method is to put up a water melon and show them what happens when its hit with a hollow point round and that a watermelon is about the same as somones head. If kids are told NEVER touch it or look at it you know what the first thing they are going to do when you leave the house right.

I am single and no kids so I have no problems keeping loaded guns in my house but if I had kids it would definatly change.

good luck and what ever you decide on practice and take some basic gun saffty traning at your local gun shop or gun range. Its worth the small cost to learn the basics and not shoot yourself

 

I have my conceal (sp) carry permit in the state of Texas, I dont actually carry my gun though... unless Im traveling...

I have had guns my entire life, actually shot my first gun, with help, when I was 5.

I currently have the Sig Sauer, Sig Pro .40, Im using plastic grips, and a stock clip (10rd). I have a "lighter" recoil spring, and have some custom neon sites built into the site rails.

Very simple answer!, buy the SIG! its a much much much much better gun....

I have both guns actually though, I do have a Glock .40 cal, and really dont care for its feel, or the way it shoots. If you ever plan to shoot "reloads" DONT! not with a Glock, they dont support the backside of the shell under the primer, so it blow a casing of a reload fairly regularly... thats not fun either... imagine this: your out shooting some reloads at some targets in your glock, you pull the trigger and wam! a big puff of spoke and the rest of the bullets in the clip hit the ground ... sucks, and is pretty scary the first time it happens.

Now, before I get flamed for anti-glock remarks: they arnt bad guns if you shoot fresh rounds allways, and NEVER reloads. I personally dont like how they feel, and how they work... Sig is just more my style.

I like my .40 sig for concealment as well, when I do carry it, I have a holster that clips inside the front of my pants, and the sig fits really nicely, and is easily concealed.

But... if home defense is what someone needs, you need a good ole shotgun.... I have a military spec mossburg for that... no plug, 8 rounds, plenty of home defense!

MadNess

p.s. I introduced my wife to guns about 3 years ago, the lady can shoot now! yikes!

 

OMG!!!

 

I have A Sig Mauser M2 .45 ACP. {I Like it Alot}
I like .45, but .40S&W or 9mm will work great for a range handgun.
I will probably buy a .45 ACP 1911 style next. {Likely a Springfield}.

 

Personally, after I started shooting the .45 ACP, the 9mm's just sit in the safe and gather dust. Favorites are the Glock 21 (shot thousands of reloads with no problems, but I load them myself), Sig 220, S&W 4506, Colt Officers Model, and any model by Kimber or Wilson Combat. The .45 seems to be naturally more accurate than the 9 or the .40, at least to me. And for personal defense the .45 is very hard to beat. It used to be cheaper to reload the .45 than the 9 or the .40 but with the military switching over, the brass supply has dried up some so the 9 is cheapest now.

 

if you are interested in a 40 caliber sig makes the model 229 with a compensator. i have this one in stainless and the recoil is comprable to my sig 228 which is a 9mm with no compensator. both are great guns and a lot of fun to shoot. pircey though my 229 was $1300. if all you want is a pinger and don't want to spend the money on amo get a 22. s&w makes a model 41 which is great and if you can get your hands on one sig makes a trailside. both feel great if you have long fingers.

 

out of the last 10 attempts, with about 400rounds, I had 2 clips blown out... to each his own though!

I used to have an ACP, but just never used it..(actually got that gun and shot it 1 time...)

Ive always just had the best luck... at the range with a .40 or a .357... dunno why.... never really liked any 9mm, or .45s.... course I used to shoot a 7mm all the time for fun

MadNess

 

The 9mm, the .38 & .357 are all the same caliber. The 9 is usually a full metal jacket in 115 or 127 or sometimes a 147 grain bullet. The .38 is usually 158 grain lead. The .357 gun will also shoot 38 in the same clylinder. The 9 can be shot in the same revolver if you change the cylinder. The .357 has a longer shell and more powder/power/recoil/noise. The 40 and the 10mm are the same caliber but like the .38 & the .357. the 10 is stronger and louder. The .45 is bigger and slower. There is an auto .45, and a revolver .45. different bullets. Get a 9mm in a metal gun. The bullets are cheaper and heavy means less recoil and jump. A .357 5 1/2 inch barrell Redhawk Ruger shooting .38 110 grain wadcutters would be a range gun, and you can load it up with .357 and kill Javalina if you want to get macho. Get it in stainless. People shoot deer with .22 .380 (short 9mm) is used by police departments all over Europe. Good Luck

 

Chris,

Asking what type of gun and caliber will get you alot of different answers. It really is a personal like of one brand or caliber that you get. You really need to ask yourself some questions to find the right gun for you. Automatic or revolver ? This is a good question for anyone especially starting out in shooting.
I will start with automatics. Pro's, Good range of frame sizes and calibers, Good range of materials for the guns, Usually lighter recoil than revolver, Can have 10 rounds or more if you purchase high capacity magazines. (please note high capacity magazines are expensive now that they are banned) Con's, More complex to clean and maintain, If not mantained properly can jam when feeding. If left loaded for long periods of time both main and clip springs can become weak.
Revolvers, I will also do pro's and con's. Pro's, Good range of frame sizes and calibers, Easy to mantain and clean, Can be left loaded for long periods of time with little or no effect. Will not jam under normal use. Con's, Limited to blue or stainless for most frames (there are some exotic frame materials), heaver recoil than automatic (this can be the case but not always, The heavier frame can sometimes make this a wash), Limited to six rounds.

Now here is my opinion, For a strater gun that can do double duty for both practice and personal protection. Medium frame .357 revolver in stainless steel. Now i will back up that statement. With it being stainless you will not have to worry abut rust and cleaning it will be a breeze. With the medium frame it will have good weight to tame recoil but not be heavy or large enough that you can't carry it if you wish. For practice you can shoot .38 special rounds which are cheap and light recoil, When you get the feel of shooting then start with light .357 loads and work your way up to full power .357 loads. For stopping power the .357 has been proven over and over again by law enforcement use. Sure there are better stopping rounds but this is not a case of maximum stopping power.

Remember this is only my opinion ask yourself what you want and need in a gun. And what level of effort you want to put out to learn how to service and mantain your firearm. High capacity or six rounds is not a real deal breaker on either side since if you have to use your weapon to defend yourself it will not be like a TV show where 20-30 rounds are exchanged. It will come down to just a few rounds and that is where training comes in. Ok this is long enough now.

John..
2000 Silver Lightning
Owner of many guns

 

Hey superfords,

Check out this thread, I wanted to get some input on my selection of a handgun and man you should find this interesting and very helpful. There are lots of gun experts on this board and it will show if you follow this thread.

Here is the link to the thread:
https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...hlight=handgun

I personally have a used Glock 17 and find it perfect for me. I used to own a Ruger security six in SS a long time ago and they cost around $600 new. I opted for the Glock 'cause I basically stole it for $250 in almost perfect condition along with a 17 round mag.

By the way, I use a 12ga shotgun for home security 'casue it's much easier to shoot and aiming is much less of an issue, especially if I'm shooting at a large target and I'm just waking up. I need all the help I can get.

Hope this is useful.

DaveMan